Sociology Research Methods
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Questions and Answers

What is the main difference between natural sciences and social sciences according to some sociologists?

  • Natural sciences deal with quantitative methods, while social sciences deal with qualitative methods
  • Natural sciences deal with matter, while social sciences deal with human behavior (correct)
  • Natural sciences deal with consciousness, while social sciences deal with unconsciousness
  • Natural sciences deal with humans, while social sciences deal with nature

    • Why was sociology able to develop in Europe in the 19th century?

  • Because of the interest in qualitative methods
  • As a result of the decline of natural sciences
  • Due to the influence of natural sciences on social sciences
  • Because of massive social changes resulting from industrialization (correct)

    • What do positivists in sociology advocate for?

  • The rejection of natural sciences' influence on social sciences
  • The use of qualitative and humanistic methods
  • The combination of quantitative and qualitative methods
  • The use of scientific and quantitative methods (correct)

    • Why do some sociologists prefer interpretive methodology?

    <p>Because it emphasizes the importance of consciousness in human action</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the current trend in sociological research?

    <p>A combination of both quantitative and qualitative methods</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is quantitative research in sociology mainly associated with?

    <p>The positivist tradition</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is it important to have a systematic way of producing knowledge in sociology?

    <p>So that findings are not dismissed as guesswork or common sense assumptions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a fundamental characteristic of qualitative research?

    <p>The commitment to viewing events from the perspective of the people being studied</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for understanding social entities as wholes to be explicated and understood in their entirety?

    <p>Holism</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do anti-positivists in sociology emphasize?

    <p>The use of interpretive methodology</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a feature of qualitative research in sociology?

    <p>The use of laboratory experiments</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a limitation of quota sampling?

    <p>Personal prejudice and bias may enter the selection process</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary advantage of snowball sampling?

    <p>It reduces sample sizes and costs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the emphasis on processual dimension in qualitative research convey about the social order?

    <p>That it is negotiated and dynamic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is quota sampling rarely used in practical work?

    <p>There are numerous opportunities for bias</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name of the methodology that Weber explicitly stated as a commitment to viewing events from the perspective of the people being studied?

    <p>Verstehen methodology</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do qualitative researchers tend to argue that social life takes the form of streams of interconnecting events?

    <p>Because they want to understand everyday life</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In quota sampling, what determines the selection of sample items?

    <p>Personal judgement</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the result of the emphasis on processual dimension in qualitative research?

    <p>An image of interconnection and change</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In snowball sampling, how are additional respondents obtained?

    <p>Through referrals from existing respondents</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a potential problem with snowball sampling?

    <p>Bias may occur due to similarities between referred respondents</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How can the concept of anomie be operationalised in the social sphere?

    <p>By identifying quantifiable attributes such as incidence of suicide, crime, and honour killings</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do qualitative researchers tend to favour a relatively open and unstructured research strategy?

    <p>Because they want to understand social life in its natural setting</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When is snowball sampling typically employed?

    <p>When the target population is unknown or difficult to approach</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an essential characteristic of a good hypothesis in the scientific sense?

    <p>It should explain how the concepts are related to each other</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is it important to relate a hypothesis to a body of theory?

    <p>To build upon existing knowledge and refine it</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is set up in a quota sample according to given criteria?

    <p>Quotas</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is it necessary to operationalise concepts in a hypothesis?

    <p>To enable empirical data collection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can affect the results of an interview?

    <p>The way the participants define the situation and their perceptions of each other</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is uniformity in definition and meaning of concepts essential in hypothesis?

    <p>To enable effective communication</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an example of an inverse relationship mentioned in the text?

    <p>Suicide rates vary inversely with social integration</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the advantage of unstructured interviews?

    <p>They provide more opportunity to discover what the respondent 'really means'</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of research often employs structured interviews?

    <p>Quantitative research</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a limitation of interview data?

    <p>It may not reflect the respondent's normal routines</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a concern with interviews?

    <p>They pose serious problems of reliability and validity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What should a hypothesis specify?

    <p>The concepts and their relationships</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can unstructured interviews help to clarify?

    <p>Ambiguities in questions and answers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What should be considered while formulating a hypothesis?

    <p>Both the availability and applicability of techniques of data collection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a difference between structured and unstructured interviews?

    <p>Structured interviews are used to obtain factual information, while unstructured interviews are used to elicit attitudes and opinions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Katz's study in 1942 investigate?

    <p>The effect of interviewer bias on interview results</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Research Methods and Analysis

    • In the absence of a systematic way of producing knowledge, findings can be dismissed as guesswork or mere common sense assumptions.
    • Sociology first developed in Europe in the 19th century as a response to industrialization and social changes, aiming to create a science of society based on natural science principles and procedures.

    Positivist and Anti-Positivist Traditions

    • Two broad traditions in sociology:
      • Positivists: advocate the use of scientific and quantitative methods, associated with the 'positivist tradition'.
      • Anti-positivists: support the use of more humanistic and qualitative methods, emphasizing the interpretive methodology to understand subjective meanings underlying social action.

    Qualitative Research Methods

    • Features of qualitative research in sociology:
      • Empathetic description of social reality: focus on interpretation of meanings social actors attribute to their actions.
      • Contextualism: understanding events, behavior, etc. in their socio-economic, political, and historical context.
      • Emphasis on processual dimension: viewing social life in processual and dynamic terms, rather than static terms.
      • Flexibility: favoring relatively open and unstructured research strategies.

    Hypothesis and Data Collection

    • A good hypothesis should:
      • Be related to available techniques of data collection and interpretation.
      • Specify the relationship between variables.
      • Be related to a body of theory.
    • Importance of operationalizing concepts, defining variables, and specifying relationships between them.

    Quota Sampling and Snowball Sampling

    • Quota sampling:
      • A type of judgment sampling, where quotas are set up according to given criteria, but selection within quotas depends on personal judgment.
      • Risk of bias and personal prejudice, rarely used in practical work.
    • Snowball sampling:
      • Begins with a few known respondents, who provide additional names, and so on.
      • Advantages: reduced sample sizes and costs, but bias may enter due to similarity between respondents.

    Structured and Unstructured Interviews

    • Structured interviews:
      • Largely employed in quantitative research, suitable for obtaining factual information (e.g., age, sex, income).
    • Unstructured interviews:
      • More appropriate for eliciting attitudes, opinions, and interests, providing more opportunity to discover what the respondent 'really means'.
      • Interview data may not reflect respondents' normal routines, and there are problems of reliability and validity due to interaction situations and interviewer bias.

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    Description

    This quiz covers the development of sociology as a subject, its founders, and the importance of research methods in sociology. It also touches on the industrialization of Europe in the 19th century and its impact on social changes.

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